Washingtonville girls blank Corning in Class AA quarterfinals

There's something pleasing about the game of soccer when two teams bring their best open styles and let fate determine a winner.

Ken McMillan

There's something pleasing about the game of soccer when two teams bring their best open styles and let fate determine a winner.

For the first time this season, though, Washingtonville had to face a team that settled into a defensive posture and made things much more difficult for the Wizards' offense on Tuesday. Passing lanes were filled and open shots on net were hard to come by.

"We were getting frustrated going to goal," said Kathleen Bidad.

As long as Section 4 champion Corning wasn't going to commit anyone to its offense, Washingtonville coach Jen Czumak figured the best way to beat the defense was to bring more players up top and keep probing.

"It was a little weird,'' said Alanna O'Neill. "We had to change our formation around so we put more up top. We had to play our game and find the seams. I think we just tried to drive to goal as many times as we could.''

Eventually, Washingtonville found the necessary answers. With 21 minutes remaining in the state Class AA quarterfinal playoff at SUNY Cortland, Bidad sent a through ball to O'Neill and she beat Corning keeper Lili Ruland. Five minutes later, O'Neill's long serve off a free kick found its way to Delaney Williams and she headed in the insurance goal for a 2-0 victory.

"We had to know with the amount of possession we had it would eventually come, but you had to start to wonder,'' Czumak said.

Following quarterfinal losses in 2008 and 2011, the Wizards were glad to clear the hurdle.

"We weren't going to let our season end, for sure,'' Bidad said.

Top-ranked Washingtonville makes its fourth trip to the state semifinals, and first since 1989. The Wizards play Northport or Massapequa — the Long Island title match was played later Tuesday night — at 5 p.m. Saturday at Homer High School. The Wizards reached the 1984 final but lost.

Bidad said patience was key to solving Corning's defenses.

"You have to read into the team and see what will work, whether it's long balls that will work or play shorter and technical,'' she said. "We do a good reading the opponent.''

The Wizards were able to move the ball upfield with some regularity. Bidad was about 35 yards from goal when she sent a diagonal pass toward the left side. O'Neill said the ball deflected off a defender and rolled right to her for a one-time, waist-high shot from 15 yards for the opening score.

"It felt great,'' O'Neill said. "We'd been driving at goal the whole game so we knew it was going to come.''

O'Neill set up the second goal with a direct kick from about 45 yards. Ruland came off her line to punch the ball but managed only to get a few fingers on it and Williams was on the spot for the header.

Czumak took North Rockland to the state semifinals two years ago, coaching one day after giving birth. She is looking forward to meeting the Long Island champ on Saturday.

"This is more the game we have been preparing for,'' Czumak said. "It will be 22 great players on the field, and it's going to be an end-to-end battle.''

"This is new for all of us,'' Bidad said. "None of us have been in a state finals. We're looking forward to it. It's what we have been working for all season so we're hoping for the best.''